Serbia wants part in Turkish Stream pipeline

Serbia is ready to sign onto the Turkish Stream pipeline project, according to the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic.

The Serbian Foreign Minister told his Russian counterpart last Friday that joining a gas pipeline project through Turkey was in his country's best interests.

The Kremlin said the Turkish gas project will help ensure European energy security. South Stream, a longer version of the pipeline, was envisioned as a European network before the Russian government pulled it off the table in late 2014.

“Europe cannot do without Russian gas," Dacic said at a news conference in Belgrade after talks with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Friday. "At present, we can express our readiness for participation in this project because we need reliable gas supplies."

The minister's comments Friday come after Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said last week that the country would not receive gas through the pipeline.

“We have presented to all European officials our position that now we do not agree with the imposition of sanctions against Russia, but when we become a member [of the EU], we will have to conduct a common foreign policy,” Nikolic said in an interview last week.

The reversal of Serbian rhetoric on the Turkish Stream project points to the growing support for the Russian-backed plan, which would give Russia the upperhand in its energy game with the US and the European Union.

Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner

Sources: IB Times, RT, UPI

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/18052015/serbia-wants-par-in-turkish-stream-pipeline/